#fenixtj

It must be said that Brekke finds out a lot about Jessica, even when not observing her as a childling.

"She DID tell you how she saved us from Children of Lilith? No?" Rosa the boggan gossips furiously "PRodigals are dangerous, yet she took them on"

"Children of Lilith?" Brekke blinks. "She did not confront them alone, I hope?"

"Oh your daughter is no fool, but she led the charge. That was years ago mind you."

"Hmm." She considers Rosa. "Surely that is the only case where she has not told me of her adventures."

"Well.... I certainly do not mind talking about my countess' heroism.... why the nightmare nervousa she's faced alone could pile up taller than this building."

Another blink. "Miss Rosa...perhaps I could interest you in an arrangement. I would very much like to be kept informed of my daughter's deeds...and she does not tell me. If it does not violate the safety of your hold, would you be willing to share such stories with me?"

"oh, but of course... what mother shouldn't know how well her daughter is doing? Of course, the loss of La cernícala hurt us all, but we rally behind flamefrees brave example"

"The...the loss of...?" Her eyes have gone a bit wide.

"A brave Satyress, a vigilante to be sure, and thus wanted ... but her intentions were good. They called her La Cernícala.. she got the bomb out of the town hall, and..well, when it went up. She died. That's what the Countess is researching now"

A quiet moment. "The Countess...knows of the...the death of this vigilante?"

"She lis finding the culprits even now"

"The kestrel shall be avenged" Maria comes in, "Worry not about that"

A frown and a nod. "This is good to know. Excuse me. I must speak to the Countess."

"Your daughter is in the playroom"

Jessica is not sure how she ended up in the playroom... except maybe it's Ariel's fault.

"Ah. Yes. Thank you." A nod, and she goes.

The little satyr challenged her to nerf basket ball

"Ok, but you have to take a handicap. Six points."

Brekke enters the playroom. She is reluctant to interrupt...but her expression is clearly concerned about something.

"Six? but you're tall"

"Exactly. You take six points to start with. That's the handicap." she pauses, frowns "Right?"

A slight grin at Jessica's honorable generosity, but then she clears her throat.

"Oh, OH.. sure.." A smile "Thanks"

"Oh! Um, hi mom. Is everything ok?"

"I do not know. May I speak with you? I apologize for interrupting," she adds to the little satyr.

"Oh it's okay. We can play later" Ariel offers

"Um, yeah. Yes, sure. Ariel, raincheck?"

"You got it" SHe smiles "The CHief is an ally to we DeBukes"

A nod to Ariel.

Jessica passes the ball bad (not badly) and goes to look up at Brekke. "Want to come to my room, or a meeting room? Or the kitchen?"

And Ariel practices some shots

"Wherever you think best, if we are to speak of La Cernicala." Brekke gives her a serious and concerned look.

Jessie stops. "Oh." and leads the way to her room.

Slowly.

She may be able to tell that her mother would rather that she walk more swiftly, but is trying to be patient.

Perhaps all too soon for some, they arrive at a door; inside, a woman's bedroom. "Um. Come in. Do you want a juice or coffee or anything?"

"No. Thank you. Jessica...I know what La Cernicala means. What is going on?"

A sigh, Jessie closes the door and goes to a sitting area near a window that .... smells and sounds like the ocean is outside?

"She's fine." Jessie sits.

"Call her, if you want."

"She." Brekke says, then, "She?"

While she knows what La Cernicala means, she may not have made the final necessary connections about the specifics.

Jessie looks uncertain. "You know what the words mean? In English?"

"It means The Kestrel. Beyond that, I do not know, but that it is being used here seems a strong coincidence. And...the person who used it is dead. Jessica, tell me what is going on. Plainly."

"They aren't -dead-. At least, most of them, I think." She sighs and rubs her head-nubs "There were a group of... well-intentioned, I guess.... people here. And they were trying to do good things. And they did do good things but .... some other things happened that caused me trouble. And made me mad. I found out who some of them are and talked to them so they decided to stop doing what they were doing but by that time there was this story about La Cernicala ... like Zorro. A folk-hero. And they had to make it look like this Zorro was gone, for good. They put on this act like Zorro got killed. Which is why now I have people out looking for bombs and stuff and why Mitra and I are like this. BUT, and this is the important part, no one playing Zorro got hurt. Um. La Cernicala is Zorro."